Mossflower
Winner: *Lancashire Libraries Children's Book of the Year Award *Western Australian Young Readers' Award Nominated: *Carnegie Medal Book Divisions (English) *'Book 1:' Kotir *'Book 2:' Salamandastron *'Book 3:' Of Water and Warriors Summary The protagonist is Martin the Warrior, who comes to Mossflower Woods having recently escaped from Fort Marshank. He discovers that Mossflower is being ruled by a tyrant wildcat, Verdauga Greeneyes, who resides in the castle Kotir. After getting into a fight with one of Verdauga's troops, Martin is imprisoned, where he meets Gonff the Mousethief. Verdauga's daughter, Tsarmina, poisons the tyrant, thrusts her brother Gingevere into prison, takes over the throne for herself, and breaks Martin's sword. Martin and Gonff escape with help from the Corim, and they are brought to Camp Willow by the otters. Tsarmina follows them with some of her soldiers to the edge of the river and she orders Brogg and Scratt to go back to Kotir to fetch a water rat called The Gloomer. They bring Gloomer with the aid of Fortunata to the river and the water rat fights with Stormfin, a big pike, who is sent by Skipper of the otters. Gloomer loses the battle and Stormfin kills him. In Brockhall, woodlanders including Gonff and Martin hold a discussion about Kotir. Bella of Brockhall suggests that they would use a spy and Gonff suggests that a robin Chibb would be their spy. This causes disagreement, but Bella and Foremole stand up for the suggestion of the mousethief and Corim enlists Chibb to spy Kotir. Later in the same evening woodlanders celebrate and two little hedgehogs, Ferdy and Coggs, sons of Ben Stickle and Goody Stickle leave Brockhall, wanting to overrun Kotir. Scratt, Brogg and Fortunata and some other soldiers, who has been sent to search woodlanders in the woods by Tsarmina, bumped into the group led by Ashleg in the darkness. They fight against each other in the mistake before they recognize each other. Early in next morning Chibb flies around Kotir and meets briefly Gingivere and he is frightened by the sight of the wildcat. Bella and Martin talk the situation of the woodlanders on their morning stroll in the woods and when they return to Brockhall, the mouse and the badger meet anxious Goody, who asks them, have they seen Ferdy and Coggs. Bella arranges the search of two little hedgehog. Ferdy and Coggs are captured by the soldiers of Kotir. They are thrusted into the cells next to the cell of Gingivere and Ferdy and Coggs became friends of the kind wildcat. In the same time Bella tells Martin about the mountain of fire lizards, Salamandastron where many male badgers has wandered and she believes that her father Boar the Fighter only could defeat Tsarmina. Bella, Martin, Gonff and Dinny begin to search the clues of the route to Salamndastron and figure out them. Later trio meets Log-a-Log of the Guosim, on a quest to find Boar, badger lord of Salamandastron. Ferdy, Coggs and Gingivere are rescued by Corim and Mask and during the operation, Mask is killed by Tsarmina in mistake. After a journey through Bat Mountpit and the Toadlands, the companions reach the mountain to meet Boar. He then reforges Martin's broken sword with metal from a star, but he unfortunately dies in combat with his mortal enemy Ripfang, who was planning to siege Salamandastron. Ripfang's former slaves (including Martin's childhood friend Timballisto) take over his ship, Bloodwake with the help from Martin and Co., and return to Mossflower Woods, where Martin kills Tsarmina and destroys Kotir, bringing peace to Mossflower Woods once again. Later Gonff marries a young Loamhedge called Columbine. The story of Mossflower was told by Bella of Brockhall to young Gonff, a grandson of Gonff the Mousethief and Columbine. [[:Category:Mossflower Characters|Characters in Mossflower]] Collector's Edition In 2004, Philomel re-released Mossflower in a new special collector's edition. The hardcover book is bound in leather with pictorial front board, gold gilt design, and sewn in ribbon page marker, with all new illustrations by David Elliot. Release details *1988, UK, Hutchinson Children's Books Ltd., ISBN 0091721601, Pub. Date: July 1988, Hardcover *1988, US, Philomel Books, ISBN 9780399215490, Pub. Date: November 1988, Hardcover *1989, UK, Red Fox, ISBN 0099554003, Pub. Date: July 1989, Paperback *1994, UK, Arrow, ISBN 0099319217, Pub. Date: November 1994, Paperback *1996, US, Avon Books, ISBN 0380708280, Pub. Date: August 1996, Paperback *1998, US, Ace, ISBN 9780441005765, Pub. Date: November 1998, Paperback *2002, US, Puffin, ISBN 9780142302385, Pub. Date: September 2002, Paperback *2004, US, Philomel Books, ISBN 0399240314, Pub. Date: February 2004, Hardcover *2006, UK, Red Fox, ISBN 1862301395, Pub. Date: August 2006, Paperback *2006, US, Red Fox, ISBN 1862301395, Pub. Date: September 2006, Paperback Category:Books